Endoscopic instruments have been developed to provide surgeons with an internal view of the organ or body passage requiring treatment. Such endoscopes typically have channels through which a miniaturized forceps, commonly called flexible instruments, are inserted and advanced. The endoscope assembly includes an elongated flexible cable equipped at one end with an eyepiece or other viewing means and at the other end with an optical head. Only the head is directly and externally connected to the instrument. The cable transmits images or image-producing signals from the illuminated operative site to the viewing means so that the surgeon will have visual confirmation of the action of the instrument's working end. A coherent optic bundle extends from the head and through the flexible cable through the eyepiece for providing the surgeon with visual confirmation of the instrument's tip or jaw action. The illuminating means may take the form a light-transmitting waveguide extending through the cable to illuminate the operative area. The waveguide is connected at its proximal end to a suitable high-intensity light source. The cable also provides a flow passage for the delivery of fluid (liquid or gas) for irrigation or other purposes. Typically, the flow passage and the illuminating means are disposed on opposite sides of the coherent image-transmitting waveguide. In conventional practice, it is necessary to provide the optic head with a flow of sterile water. The passage of the sterile water across the optic head prevents the buildup of materials on the optic head. This flow of water operates, in a sense, like a windshield wiper/washer assembly.
In normal practice, the endoscopic instrument has a control body which is connected by a light guide tube to a light guide connector. The connector will include a plurality of connectors that can suitably receive various fittings. For example, the light guide connector can include a connector orifice that receives a grounding lug, a suction port, an air inlet, and a water inlet. As such, the air and water are delivered through the light guide connector, through the light guide tube and into the control body. Alternatively, the control body can also include a water port so as to allow water to be directly provided to the control body. Suitable valves are provided on the control body so as to control the flow of water through the control body and over the optic head of the instrument.
Unfortunately, there is usually a great expense associated with the delivery of such sterile water to the control body. In past practice, the sterile water has been provided from a water bottle that is directly connected to a tube. The tube will have a fitting at one end so as to allow the tube to be connected to the air/water inlet of the light guide connector or to the auxiliary water port on the control body. Typically., the fitting will include an inner tube and an outer tube. The outer tube extends into the water bottle. The outer tube is connected to the cap of the water bottle. In normal practice, air is delivered through the area between the inner tube and the outer tube so as to pressurize the interior of the water container. This will force water to flow through the tube and into the endoscope at a desired rate.
After usage, the water bottle, the tubing, and the associated fittings are sterilized. This creates a considerable wastefull expense to the hospital. If the water is sterilized, there is a considerable labor expense associated with the autoclaving of the bottle. There is also the possibility of residual contaminants residing in the area of connection between the tubes and the bottle.
In the normal hospital environment, sterile water is conventionally provided in one liter bottles. Virtually all of the bottles have the same size of threaded opening. These water bottles are very different, in configuration, from the water containers associated with the prior art water delivery systems for the endoscopic instrument. Typically, existing one liter water bottles in hospitals will be sealed closed by threadedly connecting the interior threads of a cap over the exterior threads on the neck of the bottle.
A new system of endoscopes has been provided which has an unusual adapter for connecting the water bottle to the endoscope. The new 140 series of endoscopes has a pair of female fittings on the adapter for the delivery of air and water to the male fittings of the endoscope. FIGS. 5-7 show this existing prior art system of connection to the 140 series endoscopes.
In FIG. 5, it can be seen that there is a specialized water bottle 60 which has a lid 62 having a tube connection 64 thereon. The tube connection 64 connects to tube 66 which extends to the metal tip 68. A cleaning cap is provided on the metal tip 68. The tube 66 and the tip 68 serve to deliver sterile water from the container 60 to the endoscope.
FIG. 6 shows the 140 series endoscope 72 having a water supply connector 74 and an air connector 76. The water supply connector 74 is a male connector. The air connector 76 is also a male connector. Connector 74 serves to pass water from the water bottle to the interior of endoscope 72, connector 76 serves to pass air from the endoscope to the water bottle.
FIG. 7 shows an end view of the metal tip 68. As can be seen, the metal tip 68 has a female water connector 78 and a female air connector 80. The female water connector 78 is suitable for connection to the male water connector 74 on the endoscope 72. The female air connector 80 is suitable for connection to the male air connector 76 on the endoscope 72.
The new configuration of water container system as shown in FIGS. 5-7 serves to make obsolete the existing expensive water containers and associated tubing and adapters which are used for other endoscopes. As such, as hospitals purchase the new 140 series endoscope 72, they are required to also purchase the new water container 60, the new tubing 66, and the new metal tip 68. The water containers that have been used for prior endoscope systems must also be supplied for any prior endoscope systems that the hospital may have in use. As a result, hospitals are required to manage and maintain inventory of water bottles such as those shown in FIGS. 5-7 and also water containers for their existing endoscope systems. As such, a need has developed so as to allow for the standardization of the water containers for the various endoscope systems which are offered. Any standardization that can be achieved will eliminate the need to maintain inventory for each of the various types of endoscopes which a hospital employs.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a water bottle adapter for an endoscopic instrument which eliminates the need for the specialized water bottle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an adapter which can be used with conventional one liter water bottles existing in the hospital environment.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such adapter which does not require the disposal or sterilizing of both the adapter and the water container.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an adapter which is easy to use, which significantly reduces costs, and is easy to manufacture.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adapter which allows for the water bottles to be properly connected to the new 140 series of endoscopes.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an adapter which allows for the water container systems of existing endoscopes to be adapted and fitted to the new 140 series of endoscopes.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adapter which allows for connection to the water bottle which assures that the water transmitting tube has an end residing at the bottom of the water bottle.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an adapter which is transparent for easy viewing of the interior of the adapter.
It is a further object of the present invention to minimize costs associated with the sterilizing of existing water bottles.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and the appended claims.